Draft and buffing gear



June 6, 1961 H. H. SMITH DRAFT AND BUFFING GEAR 5 Sheets-Shget 1 Filed June 2, 1958 mm m k INVENTOR.

BY HERBERT/r. Sums 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H\ v F 1 i wm m A /J rm N MHWIMWI /l n n m N m u k H m INVENTOR.

BY figmszzr H. 544ml Arron/v5) June 6, 1961 H. H. SMITH DRAFT AND BUFFING GEAR Filed June 2, 1958 June 6, 1961 H. H. SMITH DRAFT AND BUFFING GEAR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 2, 1958 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 2,987,196 D AND BUFFING GEAR Herbert H. Smith, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 2, 1958, Ser. No. 739,384 8 Claims. (Cl. 213-75) This invention relates to a draft and bufiing arrangement particularly adapted for use on mine or other industrial type railway cars.

A large majority of mine cars are of the four-wheel type. Due primarily to conditions under which mine cars must operate, they are generally constructed with a wheel base that is relatively short compared to the length of the car body. As a result, portions of the car body at both ends extend beyond or overhang the wheel base by a substantial amount. In most constructions, this overhang is relatively long in comparison to the wheel base and contributes to the natural tendency of the car to angle with respect to the track which, at times, produces a considerable offset between the ends of adjacent cars. Such offset between adjacent cars makes the cars particularly susceptible to derailment, especially upon application of pushing forces. When adjacent cars are so offset, the coupled couplers between the cars angle considerably with respect to the cars, causing a substantial part of the pushing force to be diverted into lateral components, resulting in the cars being forced off the track.

The above-described problem has generally been adequately solved by the development of a buff and draft gear arrangement which has become quite commonly known in the art as a spherical horn arrangement, such as disclosed in Patent No. 2,320,839 to Russell J. Witt- Iner. In arrangements of this type, the coupler is constructed with a flange disposed rearwardly of the coupler head. The flange has a rearwardly facing concave spherical surface normally spaced from, but adapted for engagement with, a similar surface on a bufiing or front follower member located in the pocket or housing provided on the end structure of the car. Contact between these surfaces, which takes place when the cars are being pushed, develops friction therebetween, resisting the tendency of the couplers to angle with respect to the cars and preventing the undesirable offset between the ends of adjacent cars. Free angling of the couplers relative to the cars in draft is maintained since the spherical surfaces do not engage upon application of draft or pulling forces.

While present spherical horn mechanisms have been effective in preventing derailment, some disadvantages, from a structural standpoint, have become apparent. In present constructions, the same structural part or memher which carries the convex spherical surface for engagement with the rearwardly facing concave spherical surface on the coupler is also used as the sole means for transmitting bufiing forces to the cushioning unit in the arrangement. Strains of this type tend to unnecessarily limit the service life of the member. Also, due to the confined bulk of present constructions, there are limitations in the size and strength of couplers which may be used with the arrangement. Both the coupler head and the coupler shank have been known to bend, fracture, or otherwise become deformed when subjected to severe, but normal, use. Additionally, present constructions utilize a multiplicity of related parts necessarily resulting in a high cost of manufacture.

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a new buff and draft mechanism of the spherical horn type which is simple in arrangement and operation and more economical to manufacture.

Another object of this invention is to make possible, in an arrangement of the above-mentioned type, the use of stronger structural components having a greater longevity of service.

A further object is in the use of a front follower which, while provided with a convex spherical surface for engagement with a corresponding concave surface on the coupler, is not the sole means for transmitting buffing forces.

A still further object is in the provision of means in an arrangement of the aforementioned type which will permit rotary movement of the coupler about its longitudinal axis.

A more specific object is to provide a butt and draft arrangement of the spherical horn type comprising a coupler having a shank and a rearwardly facing concave spherical surface, a cushioning unit disposed between an intermediate and a rear follower, a tail bolt extending through the cushioning unit and followers and connecting to the coupler shank, and a front follower engaging the intermediate follower at one end and having, at its opposite end, a forwardly facing convex spherical surface adapted for engagement with the concave spherical surface on the coupler.

These and other objects will become more apparent upon a reading of the following specification, considered and interpreted in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the novel buff and draft arrangement embodying the invention in neutral position within the housing on the end structure of a railway car. The top plate of the housing has been cut away in order to more clearly show the relationship of the parts within the housing.

FIG. 2 is a side view, mostly in section, also showing the parts in neutral position.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the relationship of the parts upon the initial application of a bufiing force.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fiont elevational view with the coupler head removed.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the front follower casting employed in the novel arrangement of this invention.

FIG. 8 is an end view of the front follower casting, and

FIG. 9 is a side view thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the novel buff and draft arrangement of this invention is shown in operative position within a housing 10 formed in the end structure of a car. The housing comprises a top wall 12, side walls 14 and 16, rear wall 18, and bottom wall 28. Rear stops 22 are located interiorly of the housing which is also provided with an upper front stop 24 extending transversely of the housing on the exterior side of top wall 12. Extending upwardly from bottom wall 20, interiorily of the housing, are lower front stops 26. Also asociated with the housing 10 is a front plate 28 which is fitted at the top and both sides around the outside of the housing and has a bottom portion 30 extending upwardly from the inside surface of bottom wall 20. Front plate 28 connects to and aids in supporting the housing with respect to the end construction of the car body. A platform 32 is secured to the top of portion 30, as by means of welds, and extends forwardly thereof to form a support for front follower casting 34.

Front follower casting 34 comprises top wall 36, bottom a a. 3 wall 38, and side walls 40. Top wall 36 and bottom wall 38 are arcuately formed at their rearward ends, as at 41, and merge with inwardly offset portions of side walls 40 to form rearwardly extending legs 42, as is clearly shown in the drawings. Legs 42 terminate in laterally extending lugs 44, each having a rearwardly facing bearing surface 46. Follower casting 34 is retained in position and is prevented from disengaging forwardly by means of vertical retention members 48 positioned between the lugs 44 and the front stops 24 and 26 in a manner which will hereinafter be more fully described.

The coupler 50 is shown as having a head 52 of a wellknown type and a shank 54 extending rearwardly into follower casting 34 through opening 34a therein. In FIG. 2, it will be seen that bottom wall 38 of the front follower casting is provided with an upwardly extending forward end to form a seat or surface 56 upon which the coupler 50 rests.

Rearwardly of the head 52 of the coupler on the top and bottom sides thereof is disposed an arcuate flange 51 having a rearwardly facing concave spherical surface 53. In reposed position of the parts, this surface is spaced (best shown in FIG. 2) from corresponding forwardly facing convex spherical surfaces 55 on the top and bottom walls of follower casting 34.

'In the embodiment shown, shank 54 is hollow in order to accommodate a centering device consisting primarily of a plunger 58 and spring means 60, the purpose and construction of which are clearly described in my United States Patent No. 2,517,728, granted August 8,. 1950. While it is considered preferable to incorporate a centering device, it will become quite obvious that this invention can easily be utilized with a coupler wherein the centering device is either completely omitted or is provided by other means.

The shank '54 has a bifurcated radial butt end 62 which in the neutral position of the device is spaced from, but intended for engagement with, a complemental surface 64a on butt seat 64 upon application of buffing forces. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, a clearance 66 exists between butt end 62 and butt seat 64 when the parts are in neutral position, as shown. Clearance 66 serves an important purpose in this invention, as will hereinafter become evident.

On its rearward side, butt seat 64 engages intermediate follower 68. Interposed between follower 68 and rear follower 70, is the cushioning unit 72 of any suitable type. In the embodiment shown, unit 72 consists of a resilient pad assembly of well-known design. Rear follower 70 bears against rear stops 22 through which the coupler bufling forces are transmitted to the car structure.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, rear follower 70, cushioning unit 72, intermediate follower 68, and butt seat 64 are all centrally apertured to receive therethrough a tail bolt 74 which maintains the enumerated apertured parts in assembled relationship relative to each other and in connected relationship with the coupler 50. To faciliward position against the resistance of spring 60 during the assembly process. The shank 54 is next inserted into front follower casting 34 through opening 34a. The tail bolt 74 is then placed in position between the bifurcated butt ends 62 of the shank, after which the vertical pin 76 is inserted through the aligned openings 78 and 80 to connect the tail bolt and the shank. Butt seat 64, intermediate follower 68, cushioning unit 72, and rear follower 70 are placed on the tail bolt in the designated order. Nut 71 is threaded onto the rearward end of the tail bolt. In the mbodiment shown, nut 71 is threaded to bolt 74 until an opening 86 thereon is in alignment with an opening 88 on the tail bolt, after which a bolt 90 may be inserted through aligned openings 86 and 88 to maintain the parts in the desired assembled position. The pin in aperture 82 may then be Withdrawn to allow plunger 58 to move rearwardly into engagement with butt seat 64 to complete the assembly.

As thus assembled, the mechanism is inserted through the opening in the fiont of the housing 10 and is moved rearwardly until rear follower 70 abuts against rear stops 22. It will be readily seen from FIG. 2 that the disposition of the front stops 24 and 26 are such that they will not interfere with the rearward movement of the assembly during installation.

With follower 70 abutting against rear stops 22, the vertical retainer members 48 are inserted between the lugs 44 and the upper and lower stops 24 and 26, respectively. To facilitate their insertion, members 48 are tapered as at 91. Also, in this respect, cushioning unit 72 may be slightly precompressed to provide additional clearance for the insertion of the retainer members. It will be seen that retainer members 48 are apertured, as at 95, to receive bolt 97 for securing the members to flanges 99 extending upwardly from side walls 14 and 16, thereby to positively maintain the retainer members against dislocation. Thus, front follower casting 34 is securely retained against forward movement relative to the housing 10 beyond the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Also, with retainer members 48 in place, it is apparent that bearing surfaces 46 on the lugs 44 act as stops to positively limit forward movement of intermediate follower 68 in draft.

A bottom plate 90 extending between side walls 14 and 16 of housing 10 serves to support the rearward portion of the assembly. The forward end of plate 90 is disposed rearward of members 48 to avoid interference therewith. Bottom plate 90 is supported by lugs 92 secured to side 7 walls 14 and 16. An additional plate 94 coinciding gentate this connection, a nut 71 and washer 73 are provided on the rearward end of tail bolt 74 adjacent rear follower 70. The forward end of the tail bolt is received within the bifurcated butt end 62 of shank 54; A vertical pin 76 extends through aligned openings 78 and 80 in a shank 54 and bolts 74, respectively, to accomplish the connection.

It will be seen that the plunger 58 of the centering device has a bifurcated rearward end 58a which receives the forward end of the bolt 74. In addition to being bifurcated, the rearward end of the plunger is arcuately shaped, as at 58b, so that the laterally spaced bearings 58c thereon may contact coupler butt seat 64 without interference from vertical pin 76.

To assemble the mechanism, the centering device is first inserted within hollow shank 54. After the plunger 58 has been compressed by any suitable means, a pin is inserted through the aperture 82 0n the shank to engage the slot 84 on the plunger 58 to retain the same in a forerally with the configuration of front plate 28 may be secured thereto, as shown, to reinforce the forward portion of the housing and the platform 32 upon which the front follower 34 rests.

In operation, upon the application of a bufling force to the coupler, spherical surface 53 on the coupler head will move rearwardly into engagement with spherical surface 55 on follower 34. As the coupler moves rearwardly into engagement with surface 55, butt end 62 contacts surface 64a on seat 64 to take up clearance 66. It will be seen that the opening 78 in the shank through which the pin 76 is inserted is elongated forwardly, as at 98, to avoid interference with the shank as the butt end 62 moves rearwardly into contact with seat 64. It will thus be seen that the coupler buffing forces are transmitted simultaneously through seat 64 and through front fol lower casting 34 to intermediate follower 68. During further travel of the coupler in buff, intermediate follower 68 moves rearwardly to compress cushioning unit 72 toward rear follower 70 which is restrained against rearward movement by stops 22, as is well known in the art.

It will be apparent that front follower casting does not transmit all of the butfing forces, since the forces are at least partially transmitted through the coupler shank 54 and seat 64, as described. In this manner, the casting 34 is relieved of part of the bufling forces without detracting from its effectiveness to cooperate with the surface 53 in frictionally resisting coupler-angling in bufi.

As previously discussed, derailment of vehicles to which the device is applied is avoided by frictional resistance afforded to coupler angling. The compressive resistance afforded by unit 72 to the rearward movement of casting 34 assures that substantial friction is developed between surfaces 53 and 55 when they are in engagement under buffing loads applied to the coupler. This friction resists the tendency of the coupler to angle with respect to the car and prevents undesirable offsetting of the ends of adjacent cars which, as previously described, is the condition that generally precedes derailment.

In draft, the coupler force will be transmitted through bolt 84 to nut 71, forcing rear follower 70 to move forwardly to compress unit 72 against intermediate follower 68 which abuts against lugs 44 and stops 24 and 26 as previously described. While surfaces 53 and 55 are pulled apart in draft, there is no necessity to fiictionally resist angling of the coupler in draft and it is, therefore, permitted to angle freely.

In a large number of mines the cars are dumped, one or more at a time, while all the cars remain coupled together. To accomplish this, it is generally desirable to have a car equipped at one end with a rotary coupler and at the other end with a non-rotating coupler. Provision has been made in this invention to provide couplers of both types.

In FIG. 5 it will be seen that the coupler shank 54 is generally of cylindrical configuration. A horizontal surface 100 is provided as a wearing area and additionally assists in maintaining the coupler in horizontal position. Suflicient clearance exists, as at 102 (FIG. 2), between the top surface of the shank and the underside of top wall 36 on front follower casting 34 to permit the car to rotate about the longitudinal axis relative to the shank.

Conversion of the coupler in this invention to nonrotating is accomplished in a simple manner. A rectangular bar 104 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5) is secured to the underside of the top wall 36 adjacent the front opening of the casting 34. The clearance 102 is thereby eliminated, preventing rotation of the car relative to the coupler shank. If preferred, the coupler can be made non-rotating by making shank 54 square in section, which is a well known expedient in the art.

Retainer members 48 have been illustrated as being removable. While this construction is preferred, it is to be understood that retainer members 48 may be affixed permanently to the upper ends of sidewalls 14 and 16. Front stops 24 and 26 would then not be necessary. Assembly of the mechanism to the housing would be achieved by removing top wall 12 and applying the mechanism downwardly into the housing. Top wall 12 would, of course, afterward be secured in place as shown in the drawings.

The invention provides a novel buff and draft arrangement of the spherical horn type in which the parts are disposed relative to each other for simplicity of arrangement and operation. A feature of the invention is the provision of a new spherical front follower casting which is partially relieved of incidental functions to make possible a longer usable period of service. Additionally, the arrangement has been shown adaptable to the rotary dump operations common in mines.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation and there is no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described or of the portions thereof as fall within the purview of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a draft and buff arrangement for use on railway cars, a coupler having a shank and a rearwardly facing spherically curved surface, rear and intermediate followers, a cushioning unit disposed between said followers, a movable front follower casting having a forwardly facing spherical surface engageable with said rearwardly facing spherical surface, said front follower casting having rearwardly extending legs engageable with said intermediate follower, said coupler being movable longitudinally, said forwardly facing spherical surface and said rearwardly facing spherical surface being engageable to resist coupler angling when in buff.

2. A draft and bufi arrangement for a rail car comprising a coupler having a shank and a rearwardly facing concave spherical surface, a tail bolt connected to said coupler shank, a cushioning unit and follower means disposed on said tail bolt rearwardly of said coupler shank, a coupler butt seat between said follower means and said shank, said seat being spaced from said shank, a front follower casting having a convex surface complemental to said concave spherical surface and spaced thereform, said front follower casting having rearwardly extending legs engageable with said follower means, said coupler shank upon rearward movement of the coupler being engageable with said butt seat and said concave spherical surface being engageable with said convex spherical surface on said front follower casting to simultaneously compress said cushioning unit.

3. A draft and buff arrangement for a railway car comprising a front follower casting, a coupler having a rearwardly facing concave spherical surface and a shank extending rearwardly into said casting, a cushioning unit disposed between a rear and an intermediate follower, a tail bolt passing through said cushioning unit and said rear and intermediate followers and connecting to said shank, and said casting having rearwardly extending legs engaging said intermediate follower at one end and engaging said rearwardly facing concave spherical surface at the opposite end to resist coupler angling in buff.

4. A draft and buff arrangement for a railway car comprising a front casting having rearwardly extending legs and forwardly facing convex spherical surfaces, a coupler extending rearwardly between said legs and having rearwardly facing concave spherical surfaces spaced from said casting, a cushioning unit disposed between a rear and an intermediate follower, a tail bolt passing through said cushioning unit and said rear and intermediate followers and connecting to said shank, a coupler butt seat engaging said intermediate follower forwardly thereof and spaced from said shank, said coupler movable relatively of said casting until said butt seat and said shank engage and said casting and said coupler thereafter movable rearwardly together to simultaneously compress said cushioning unit upon the application of buffing forces.

5. A front follower casting for use in a buff and draft arrangement as described in claim 4 comprising top, bottom, and side walls, said top and bottom walls being arcuately formed at their rearward ends and merging with inwardly offset portions of said side walls to define therewith rearwardly extending legs having rearwardly facing abutment surfaces adapted for engagement with an intermediate follower of an associated draft gear.

6. In a draft rigging comprising a housing having rear and front stops, a buff and draft mechanism disposed within said housing, rear and intermediate followers, said mechanism comprising a cushioning unit disposed between the rear and intermediate followers, a front follower casting having forwardly facing convex spherical surfaces engageable with correpsonding concave spherical surfaces on a coupler, said front follower casting having rearwardly extending legs provided with rearwardly facing abutment surfaces engageable with said intermediate follower, a coupler movable longitudinally of said housing and having a shank extending rearwardly between said legs, and retainer members disposed between forwardly facing abutment surfaces on said legs and said front stops, said rear follower being engageable with said rear stops to limit movement of the mechanism in one direction and said forwardly facing abutment surfaces engagesaid shank and said seat being movable rearwardly, after engagement, against said bufi and draft mechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bradford et a1. July 27, Simmonson Mar. 7, Willison Nov. 3, Kinne et al. May 3,

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